Outcast
by H0lLiieIzZaBeAstii3
Summary: Alley is all alone in the world until she meets the mysterious and gorgeous Chase. Chase persistantly followers Alley around and eventually they fall in love. But Chase has a dark secret from his past, one that coule tear him and Alley apart.


**OUTCAST**

**CHAPTER 1**

**I walked down the halls sullenly, wishing I was at home still in my bed. Sadly, though, I was here, all alone. Not that I minded being alone, it's just that I'd rather be alone at my house, where I didn't have to watch other people having a good time, talking to their friends.**

**When I finally arrived at homeroom I gladly sat in my seat, relieved that I could slump in peace without having to worry about running into someone from looking at my feet. Nobody noticed me in the back, which I was used to by now. **

" **. . . so have you seen the new guy? He's a total hottie!" I overheard Sydney, the most popular girl in school, say to her friends. I just stared ahead of me, not caring that there was yet another preppy look-alike joke walking the already crowded halls.**

"**Yeah, but he's a total punk. I saw him this morning and he was wearing these torn jeans and a black t-shirt with some band on it," Lisa, another popular girl, gossiped back. **

"**So, hot is hot. Besides, it'll be fun to date the new rebel," Sydney said while pulling her white compact out of her expensive looking violet Chrisitian Dior handbag. I rolled my eyes at her as she studied herself in the mirror. **

**I laid my arm on the desk and sat my head on top of it, closing my eyes and tuning out everything around me. That's probably why I was so surprised when I felt table shake. I looked up, startled, and saw that a gorgeous guy with dirty blond hair was sitting next to me. I looked his outfit over and saw that it perfectly matched the description Lisa had given earlier. So this was the new guy? Well, Sydney had gotten something right for a change, he ****was a total hottie. **

**I looked away and sighed. There was no point in fanaticizing about him; by the way Sydney talked he'd be hers before the day was up.**

"**Figures," I muttered to myself.**

"**Excuse me?" a velvet soft voice asked from beside me. I looked up and our eyes met for a brief second. They were a deep midnight blue and utterly perfect. I looked down at my hands.**

"**Nothing," I muttered. I laid my head down again, trying to forget about how gorgeous his eyes were.**

"**I'm Chase," he said after a moment. I looked up again and, thankfully, our eyes didn't meet. I smiled half heartedly with a brisk nod and looked straight ahead. He sighed dramatically.**

"**Are you going to tell me your name or am I going to have to beg for it?" he asked a bit playfully.**

"**Alley," I said quietly, still not looking at him.**

"**Hmmm . . . Alley. I like it," he said after a moment. I could feel his eyes on me but still didn't look at him. It was stupid to think that maybe we could be friends; to hope that maybe he would like me. I already knew from experience that it was better not to get your hopes up. "So, Alley, are you always this quiet or just don't want to ruin your rep by talking to the new kid?"**

**I tried not to laugh, but a small giggle escaped my lips. It was just so . . . so . . . so ****funny! To think that ****my rep was at stake! Ha!**

"**What's so funny?" he asked. **

"**Nothing," I said in between giggling fits.**

"**Ah, so you are worried about your rep," he muttered mostly to himself. Was it just me or did I detect a hint of sadness in his voice? Usually I would have just let it go but for some unknown reason I didn't want him to think that I didn't want to be seen with him.**

"**No, it's just funny to think that my rep's at stake," I explained.**

"**What do you mean?" he asked, confusion written all over his face.**

"**Well, it's your rep that's at stake, not mine. I actually don't have a rep, or at least not one that matters," I continued. His perfectly arched eyebrows rose in confusion.**

"**I still don't get it. Why wouldn't your rep matter?" he pressed.**

**I sighed. It looked like I was going to have to spell it out to him. "Because, in order to have a rep you have to have friends or people that notice you, I don't have either."**

"**Oh." was all her said. I looked back at the front of the room, not really seeing anything. ****_Great, now he'll avoid you, too_. Just like everyone else in this hell hole.**

"**I can't see how anyone could not notice you," he murmured.**

"**Don't you get it? I'm a freak, a loser, a nobody. It's more like 'I can't see how no one ****could notice you'," I said, turning back to look at him.**

"**I noticed you," he said quietly. I didn't know what to say so I just turned back around. All I thought was: ****He did**** notice me.**

**When class ended Sydney and her friends, or should I say clones, came up to Chase and asked flirtatiously if he wanted them to show him around the school.**

"**Sorry, someone's already showing me around," he said in a bored tone as he got his bag off of the back of his chair.**

"**Who?" Sydney said in disbelief. She probably couldn't believe that he was turning down her offer, and frankly, neither could I.**

"**Alley," he said. My head snapped up from grabbing my books that had fell on the floor so fast I almost gave myself whiplash. **

"**What?" she said in even more disbelief, if that was possible.**

"**I said, Alley's going to show me around," he said, winking at me. I just stared at him in shock.**

"**Whatever," she sneered, looking directly at me on the floor. I looked back down and grabbed the rest of my books. **

"**Actually, if you um . . . want to, you can. It doesn't uh, matter," I said quickly, not wanting to get on her bad side. Chase glared at me but smiled fakely at the girls.**

"**Fine," he said dejectedly, rising from his seat. He glanced back at me, sighed, and walked out of the room. **

**When he was gone I gulped and put my books in my bag quickly, not wanting to be late to my next class. All the way to my next class I kept wondering why he had said that I was showing him around and why he winked at me. No matter what I thought a second later I would come up with an excuse to why that wasn't the answer.**

**My next three classes dragged on until finally it was lunch. I quickly grabbed my bag and walked to my locker so I could put my books away. **

**When I walked into the cafeteria my usual empty table was full of preppy girls surrounding Chase. I quickly looked around, hoping to find another empty tabled but there wasn't one. **

**So I bought a coke and walked out of the cafeteria and into the auditorium, not really hungry. I sat in the last row and pulled my knees up to my chest, resting my head on them. Sighing, I opened my coke and took a sip, not really thirsty either, but just for something to do.**

"**So, this is where you go during lunch?" I heard the all too familiar voice of Chase ask from my right. I had only had a brief conversation with him, and yet I already could point out his voice.**

**I just shrugged. "I usually sit at the table you were at, but like I said, you where at it," I said, hoping that it made sense.**

"**You could have just sat with me," he said as he took a seat to my left. I just shrugged again and took another sip from my coke. **

"**Why did you tell Sydney and her friends that I was going to show you around?" I asked after a moment of comfortable silence.**

**It was his turn to shrug. "I dunno. I thought you'd be nice enough to show me around," he said smiling at me. **

**My face turned red. "I would have, but I thought you'd have a better time with them," I lied, not wanting to tell him how much of a coward I was.**

**He smirked. "Really?" he asked, unconvinced.**

**I nodded. **

"**Well, then, you can show me around tomorrow," he said mischievously. **

"**I would, but you will already know your way around," I pointed out.**

"**Yes, but I get lost easily," he said playfully. I looked over at him and saw that he had humor in his eyes. **

**I shook my head no and he pretend to pout, sticking his lower lip out. I almost had a heart attack. He looked even more sexy then before.**

"**Please?" he whispered, leaning into me until our lips were two inches apart.**

"**Fine," I breathed. He leaned back and smiled at me.**

"**Now see, that wasn't so hard," he joked. I rolled my eyes and looked away. "So what do you usually do during lunch?" he asked a second later.**

"**Sit, think, sometimes read," I mumbled.**

"**Ah . . . ," he said trying to keep a straight face.**

"**What?" I said sighing. I could tell he was dying to say something by the look in his eyes.**

"**Nothing," he sighed and looked away. I looked away also, trying not to think about him. **

**After a couple of minutes of awkward silence I started to worry. ****_Crap, what if I upset him somehow?_ I thought distraughtly. **

"**So why don't you try to make any friends?" he asked a bit hesitantly. I thought for a moment and was shocked to find that I didn't know the answer myself. ****_Why _don't ****_I try to make friends?_ I asked myself.**

"**I . . . I guess I just have never met anyone that interested me," I whispered. _Or _****_anyone that's been interested in me_, I added silently.**

"**Do ****I interest you?" he asked quietly while looking down embarrassed. ****_He's embarrassed?_ I thought incredulously.**

"**Uh . . . " I mumbled, not sure what to say. ****I mean of course**** he interested me. But if I told him that and he didn't like me it would ruin our potential friendship. But if I don't ****tell him that he might think that I'm uninterested and just give up on me. I desperately tried to come up with a solution that would placate him in both scenarios. **

**I was saved by the bell. I sighed in relief and quickly got up uncharacteristically graceful. As I walked for the door a bit too fast to seem casual I heard Chase's lithe footsteps gaining on me.**

**_Please just let me make it to the hall_****, I pleaded. I knew that he wouldn't have time to question me before Sydney and her clones got to him.**

**But as fate would have it, Chase quickly darted in front of me and blocked the door.**

"**You're sure in a hurry to get to class," he said with one perfect eyebrow raised accusingly.**

"**I . . . uh . . . I um, wanted to get t-to class early," I stumbled for an excuse. Instead of moving to let me go he stepped closer until we were less than a foot away, we were almost touching. I swallowed and looked down at the floor, letting my pale brown hair cover my face.**

**I heard Chase sigh and then I felt his soft fingers lift my chin so I was looking straight into his eyes.**

"**Now, why don't you answer my question?" he suggested in an alluring voice.**

**I sighed in defeat. "Fine, I think you're interesting."**

**He smiled slightly but still didn't let go of my chin. My heart started beating double time like before and I stopped breathing. **

"**I think you're interesting, too," he whispered and then unexpectedly let go of my chin. I sucked in a jagged breath and gulped loudly. Chase chuckled musically and walked away. I just stood there for a moment before I could finally make my legs move. **

**I walked down the hall in a daze, not even bothering to look down at my shoes like usual. **

"**He, like, sooo . . . totally likes me!" Sydney squealed to her clones as I walked into fifth period English class. I was just about to roll my eyes but remembered that he probably ****did like her; I mean ****every guy liked her. I was just about to sit down in my seat when they surrounded me. **

"**So ****Alley," she sneered at my name, "what's the deal with you. I mean, you, like, don't talk to anyone - probably think you're too good to socialize with us - and then the new hottie shows up and you're, like, ****all… over him! What, you actually think he'll like you? Ha! You're just a stupid little bitch!" she laughed fakely. She opened her mouth to say something else but stopped suddenly and gaped at something behind me. **

**I looked over my shoulder while my eyes grew wide. Chase was standing behind me glaring at Sydney. His lips were pursed and they looked even more perfect and kissable than ever. But what made him even more irresistible was that his eyes were dark with anger and made him look dangerous.**

**I opened my mouth to say something, though I didn't have any idea of what I was going to say. Luckily, though, I didn't have to say a thing because he grabbed my hand - quiet roughly - and dragged me to the back of the class towards an empty table. As he sat I heard him curse lowly and look over at me. **

"**Are you okay?" he asked in a softer voice.**

"**Why wouldn't I be?" I said in confusion, though I knew he probably meant the little episode from a second before.**

**He just stared at me blankly like I was an idiot.**

**I shrugged. "I'm used to it."**

**He stared at me in shock. **

"**Really, it's fine," I sighed, looking at the rest of the class which were staring at us.**

**He sighed and very unexpectedly grabbed my hand and held it in both of his.**

"**No you're not, or at least you shouldn't be. You really should stick up for yourself." I just stared at him for a moment, in shock that he was holding my hand. I shrugged, not trusting myself to talk yet.**

**He sighed again, let go of my hands, turned to the front of the class, and stared straight ahead. I did the same, not wanting to get caught staring at him like before. **

**All throughout class he sat in the same stiff position never looking my way. I did the same, only turning my head to peek at him. **

**When class ended I gather all of my books and was about to get them when Chase snatched them and waited for me to stand. **

"**What are you doing?" I asked him curiously.**

"**Carrying your books for you," he said nonchalantly.**

"**I know that, but ****why?"**

"**Because I want to." Then he turned and started to walk away so I had to get up and follow him or I wouldn't get my books back. **

**I was about to ask for my books back when he broke the silence first. "Do you have a ride home?"**

"**No . . . " I said confused.**

"**Would you like to ride home with me?" **

"**Uh . . . "**

**Before I could give a real answer he decided for me. "I'll take that as a yes. I'll meet you outside in front of the flag pole," he said as we stopped in front of my sixth period class.**

"**How did you know - "**

"**I asked around," he cut me off knowing I was going to ask how he knew what my next class was. Then he swiftly handed me my books and walked away. **

**I was left standing there looking like an idiot until the teacher walked into the room and asked if I was coming.**

**At three fifteen I was standing in front of the flag pole thinking that it was all probably a joke that Sydney put him up to. I had been standing there for five minutes and he still wasn't there. Just as I was about to walk away and catch the bus an unfamiliar black Ferrari 360 Spyder pulled up seven feet away from me. **

**The tinted automatic window rolled down on the passenger's side and Chase's beautiful face came into view. He smiled brightly at me and I smiled back, grateful that he didn't blow me off.**

"**Come on, get in," he said impatiently. I quickly opened the door and sank into the low black leather seat.**

"**This is your car?" I said incredulously. **

"**Yep," he said as he pushed down on the gas and we sped away. I smiled and crossed my legs until I was sitting Indian style. By the time we were on the freeway he was pushing ninety-six. He looked over at me and chuckled lowly.**

"**Why are you smiling?" he asked while smiling himself. **

"**Because I love going fast and when my mother drives she never goes over sixty."**

"**Mmmm . . . " he trailed off and pushed on the gas harder. We shot ahead and were doing one-o-two within three minutes. I smiled wider.**

"**Sooo… why did you ask me to ride home with you?" I asked after a moment of enjoying the speed.**

"**Because I wanted to talk to you without that bitch interrupting us," he told me nonchalantly as he slowed down a bit to pull into another lane. I gulped as I stared straight ahead, not really knowing what to say to that.**

**We drove in silence for ten more minutes before he pulled off onto a winding gravel road. We drove for about five miles before a humongous mansion came into view. I could feel my jaw drop. **

"**Where are we?" I asked after I got over the initial shock.**

"**My house," he said as if it was no big deal. I'm sure my eyes were as wide as saucers.**

"**Uh . . . why are we here?" **

"**Because I want to talk."**

"**And why can't we talk in the car on the way to my house?" **

"**Because I would rather talk in my house."**

"**Uh . . . okay."**

"**Come on," he said as he got out of the car. I was a bit slower than him and by the time I got my seatbelt unbuckled he was already at my door, opening it for me and holding out his hand.**

"**Thanks," I said quietly as I took it. The warmth of it caught me off guard and made my heart beat irregularly. **

**As we walked to the house he kept glancing down at me. When I saw him I blushed lightly and looked at my feet. ****_Why is he doing that? Do I have something on my face? Oh, crap, what if I do? Crap, crap, crap!_ I though panicked.**

**When we reached the front door he let go of my hand and reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. As he did so his shirt raised up some, revealing the most glorious six-pack I had ever seen. I swear to God, Buddha, Zeus, and any other god that I had a mini heart attack right then and there.**

**He then pulled his shirt down, much to my dismay, and slipped my hand back into his, put the key in, and opened the door revealing a beautiful white and gold foyer with a woman in a black and white maid's uniform standing in the middle of the room, smiling at us kindly.**

"**Good afternoon Mr. Artwood, can I do anything for you?" she asked.**

"**No thank you, Gina. And I told you to call me Chase."**

"**Sorry, sir," she said apologetically. He looked at her meaningfully. "I mean, Chase," she fixed quickly. She then looked over at me curiously and then down at our joined hands.**

"**Oh, this is Alley. Alley this is Gina, Gina, Alley," he introduced us quickly with a wave of his hand.**

"**Hello, nice to meet you," I said politly.**

"**You, too," she said as Chase pulled me out of the room and down a large hall.**

"**Where are we going?" I asked as I looked around in awe.**

"**To my room," he said just as we started climbing a huge staircase. **

"**Um, why?" I asked nervously. I had never been to a boys house before, and certainly never been in a boys room alone. ****_God, I'm such a dork!_ I though frustratedly. And so with new determination I walked up the stairs beside Chase, totally calm.**

**Once we got to the second story we walked in silence down a narrow hall. It was narrow enough that our arms brushed as we walked, which sent cold shivers down my spine. He felt me shiver and looked down at me with a faint smile on his lips. I blushed slightly and looked down at my shoes, still not entirely comfortable being alone with him.**

"**So, don't you like, need to call your parents or something to let them know that you're not going to be home for dinner?" he asked after a moment when we reached a wide hallway and stopping in front of a door that I assumed was his bedroom. We were on the third and final, I though, floor.**

"**Um, I'm not going to be home by dinner?" I asked uncertainly. **

"**Yep."**

"**Okay. Well, I don't have to call Remy, she works until five and when she gets home has to take care of Jake and Josh, so she won't notice I'm gone."**

"**Remy, Jake, and Josh . . . ?" he trailed off, clearly wanting me to explain.**

"**Remy's my older sister who's twenty-two. She's my guardian since my parents died in a car wreck seven months ago. Jake and Josh are her twin sons who she had when she was sixteen, so they're six now," I mumbled, waiting for the shock of my screwed up family to sink in.**

"**I'm sorry about your parents," he said finally, not showing any emotion. I shrugged nonchalantly.**

"**It's okay, I didn't know them very well, anyway. My dad was in the military so he traveled a lot and my mom was a drunk so I was basically raised by Remy even before the accident." This time he didn't have a reply so instead he opened the door and gestered for me to come in. I did as he wanted and looked around. **

**From his looks, you'd think his room would be messy. It was quiet the opposite, actually. The walls were charcoal grey and the carpet black. There was a huge king-sized bed against the wall that had black and maroon sheets on it, two black nightstands on either side, and a large black entertainment system on the wall opposite of the bed. A huge plasma screen TV sat it and against the wall beside it, opposite of the wall I was standing, there was a black glass desk that had a laptop, alarm clock, and some notebooks on it. Then on the same wall as me there was a black loveseat. Every thing was in place and the bed was even made. Overall the room was not what I had expected from him.**


End file.
